Another Success…

Posted on Aug 17, 2016

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The best part of my job as a Supported Employment Program staffer is when I feel excluded and bored. My job is to assist people with barriers to employment find their place in the workforce. I had the pleasure of witnessing true inclusion when I stopped by Reg Midgley Motors last week to see how our client, Richard, was doing in his new job as a lot attendant.

Through his work search with our program, Richard told us he was open to working in a few different occupations, but one thing was clear: he wanted to work within a team, feeling valued and included. When Richard first started with Reg Midgley, he had an on-the-job coach from WorkLink come and assist with his training and orientation. After the first couple of weeks though, the team at Reg Midgley felt he was ready to be independent from our direct involvement. So today was just a chance for me to check in. When I arrived at the dealership, the manager Jim again reiterated that WorkLink’s services weren’t needed; Richard was doing well and they were happy to continue to help him learn his job. I told him I thought Richard felt like he was just “one of the guys.” “He is one of the guys,” Jim corrected. And with that I knew it was how it should be; I was on the outs, and Richard was in.